Good to be here again, as always. I know I say that all the time,
but it really, really is. It's wonderful to be with God's
people. And what a blessing to know that it was all planned
and purposed by our great God. It's incredible. Absolutely incredible. Tonight's message is called God's
Hiding Place. God's Hiding Place. Turn, if
you would, to Psalm 32, then we'll read one verse out of Psalm
119, then we'll go to Isaiah 28. So we're going to go so that
we're going to eventually be right back to the New Testament
where our text is found. But I want to look at these couple
passages here in the Old Testament here. And the Old Testament,
the scriptures declare that God is the hiding place of his people.
God is the hiding place of his people. The other day when we
went to look at some colleges with Joshua, we were in Ypsilanti,
I think it's called. And they have a water tower in
the middle of town. Huge water tower, it's all stone.
And I said to Vicki, That looks like a fortress. That's what
I think of whenever I see that God is our strong tower. He's
our refuge. I always think of something like
that, that was built in those days by stone. And you looked at this, there's
no way in but one door. So I just think of that too,
though, with how Christ, He's our strong tower, beloved. He's
our refuge. He's our hiding place. He's our
hiding place. Look at this in Psalm 32, first
in verse seven. Scripture declares, Thou art
my hiding place. Thou shalt preserve me from trouble.
Thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. So notice
in verse 7 there, Thou art my hiding place. So the psalmist
says God, God's my hiding place. Now let's go to Psalm 119 verse
114. Psalm 119 verse 114. The scriptures declare here,
again, the psalmist writing of God, thou art my hiding place
and my shield. I hope in thy word. Now let's go to Isaiah 28, verse
16. And it said here that God will
lay a foundation stone for his people, but it also talks about
Oh no, this, yeah, this in the next verse we'll look at. This
one here, it talks about God will lay a foundation stone for
his people. Therefore, Isaiah 28, verse 16,
Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for
a foundation stone, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure
foundation. He that believeth shall not make
haste. But look at verse 17 in the next
verse. Now this is a different form
of a hiding place. It tells us of those who are trusting in
themselves and seeking refuge in a hiding place of their own
making, of their own making. And God will sweep away the refuge
of lies. Beloved, look at this in verse
17. Judgment also while I lay to the line and righteousness
to the plummet and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies
and the water shall overflow the hiding place. Now, that's
that's a false hiding place there. But the psalmists were writing
about how God is our hiding place. He's the sure hiding place for
his people. Now turn, if you would, to Isaiah
chapter 32. Isaiah chapter 32, and we're
told that a king shall reign in righteousness. And we're also told, though,
that a man shall be a hiding place And a covert from the tempest
is rivers of water in a dry place in the shadow of a great rock
in a weary land. Look at this in Isaiah 32 verses 1 and 2. And we know this speaks of Christ.
Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness. That's our Lord
Jesus. That's our Lord Jesus Christ,
beloved. And princes shall rule in judgment. And a man, again,
being Christ, shall be what? In hiding place, from the wind
and covert, from the tempest as rivers of water in a dry place,
as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land. And now remember,
we've looked at that verse before, and God is our hiding place from
the wrath of God. The Lord Jesus Christ, who's
God in the flesh, is our hiding place from the wrath of God.
We are hid safe in him, beloved. We are, he's like a, the shadow
of a great rock in a weary land. Now let's turn to Colossians. Now we see that God's hiding
place is the Lord Jesus Christ. And God has hid all the treasures
of wisdom and knowledge in Christ, in Christ. We're going to start
in chapter one now. We're going to read from verses
24 to 25. We must remember too that these
are letters. There was no chapter breaks when Paul was penning
these letters. Chapter breaks can be good sometimes
to help us to read certain things, but we also, I've got a couple
versions of the scriptures where they're written as the letter.
There's no breaks. It's a marvelous way to read
the scriptures. It's actually quite incredible, because you
get a feel for how it's written to the people who are reading
it, and it's marvelous. It's absolutely marvelous. Colossians
chapter one, verses 24, and we'll read all the way to verse five
in chapter two. And we'll see here that Paul
will bring forth, he's bringing forth his ministry to the church
at first, and then he's gonna expound a little bit more in
chapter two about how Christ is our hiding place. In him are
hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Let's start in
verse 24, though. Who now rejoice in my sufferings
for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions
of Christ in my flesh, for his body's sake, which is the church.
whereof I am made a minister according to the dispensation
of God, which is given to me for you to fulfill the word of
God. Now look at this, even the mystery which hath been hid from
ages and from generations. Now just marvel in that statement
right there, beloved. And I've mentioned this before,
think of the Hittites and the Egyptians and all the kingdoms
and people that came before the gospel was revealed. and realized
that the gospel was hid from ages and generations. It was
hid from ages and generations. But is now what? Made manifest
to his saints. To whom God would make known
what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles,
which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. whom we preach, warning
every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may
present every man perfect in Christ. Whereunto I also labor,
striving according to the working which worketh in me mightily.
And the thought is continued, we see, for I would that ye know
what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea,
and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh. that their
hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and that's
a marvelous statement right there. God's people, their hearts are
knit together in love, and our hearts are knit together in love,
in our love for Christ. We're here, we gather together
here, we're here for the furtherance of the gospel. And our hearts
are knit together in love. And unto all riches of the full
assurance of understanding to the acknowledgement of the mystery
of God and of the Father and of Christ. Now look at this,
it speaks of Christ, in whom are hid all the treasures of
wisdom and knowledge. In Christ is hid all the treasures
of wisdom and knowledge. And this I say, lest any man
should beguile you with enticing words. Now remember, this book
is written about the supremacy of Christ, and it's combating,
when we studied this book, it's combating the Gnostic errors
that sprung up within, not only within the church, but within
society there. And it's combating that. And
with the Colossians specifically, they were being taught by false
teachers who were trying to creep in, teaching that there was an
angelic hierarchy to God, and that Christ was just one of those.
No, no, Christ is God. He's God incarnated in the flesh,
and so Paul's writing this book A lot, I like what a lot of the
commentators call this book, it's all about the supremacy
of Christ. That's so true. That's what it's all about. It's
all about the supremacy, and we even see that right here in
this statement here, right? For in him, that being Christ,
are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. There's
the supremacy of Christ right there being bought forth. In
this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words.
So people come up teaching error, saying that salvation is by grace
and works, you can say, no, it's in Christ alone. No, it's in
Christ alone. And he goes on later on to say,
we won't look at it in this chapter, but Paul goes on later on to
say, and you are complete in Christ. And complete there, we've
looked at that before, means you're full, it's full, you can't
get anything else in it. We're complete in Christ. And
then it says, for though I be absent in the flesh, yet I am
with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order and
the steadfastness of your faith in Christ. So he rejoiced. He rejoiced over the faith that
the Colossians had in Christ. He rejoiced in that. Just as
we rejoice when we hear someone who comes to Christ. We rejoice
that God has granted them faith to believe on the Lord Jesus
Christ. We rejoice. Turn if you would now to Matthew
chapter 13, and we'll see the disciples asking the Lord why
he taught them in parables, and we'll see his answer to them.
Look at this in Matthew 13, and keep in mind as we read some
of these passages that the aspect of the treasure of Christ is
hid. He's hid. Not everyone has Christ
revealed to them. Not everyone has Christ revealed
to them. And he's a treasure to the believer. He's an absolute
treasure to us. He's the pearl of great price.
He's the pearl of great price to us. So look at this in Matthew
13. We'll read verses 10 to 17. And the disciples came. The disciples
came and said unto him, why speakest thou unto them in parables? He answered and said, unto them,
because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the
kingdom." Remember Paul wrote about the mystery that's been
hid from ages and generations? Remember that? Look at this. Know the mysteries of the kingdom
of heaven, but to them it is not given. It's not given to
everyone. For whosoever hath to him shall
be given, and he shall have more abundance. But whosoever hath
not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. Therefore
speak I to them in parables, because they seeing not and hearing
not, they hear not, neither do they understand. Now that's man's
natural state, isn't it? We've looked at that many times.
That's man's natural state. We don't understand the things
of God. We don't see Christ. But oh, when he gives us a glimpse
of who he is, when he reveals himself to us. And it says, In
them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, which saith, By hearing
ye shall hear, and shall not understand, and seeing ye shall
see, and shall not perceive. For the people's heart is wax
gross, their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have
closed, lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and
hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart,
and should be converted, that I should hear them. But look
at this in Matthew 16. Now think of this if you're a
believer. Just look at this. Because this speaks of us too.
But blessed are you, but blessed are your eyes, for they see.
There was a time when we didn't see. There was a time when we
didn't see Christ. And we praise his name, don't
we, that we can see. And we're called in this text
blessed. Oh, just ponder how blessed we really are. Because
you can't see him unless he reveals himself. You can't. But oh, when he reveals himself
to us, oh my, we are so blessed. We are so blessed. Blessed are
your eyes for they see, and your ears for what? They hear. We
hear the voice of the shepherd through the preaching of the
gospel. It's wonderful. For verily I say unto you, that
many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things
which you see and have not seen them, and to hear those things
which you hear and have not heard them. So we can see in verses 15 to
17 that it's impossible for natural man to see and to hear the things
of God. And then we see in verse 16,
and think of this in light again of us, we who are the born-again,
blood-washed people of God, what a privilege it is for us to have
had Christ revealed to us. But blessed are your eyes, for
they see, and your ears, for they hear. Now they saw face
to face, we see by faith, we look by faith, we hear by faith,
right? He's given us that faith. Oh
my, it's wonderful. So God has given the believer
in Christ ears to hear and eyes to see Christ. We see in what we just looked
at in Matthew, man's utter inability And then we see God's sovereign
majesty in giving his people eyes to see and ears to hear
the words of Christ. Beloved, that's a miracle of
grace. That's a miracle of grace. Rejoice,
if you're one who has ears to hear and eyes to see. Rejoice,
it's a miracle. Because in our natural state,
we never see and we never hear. What a privilege. And it's based
on nothing in us. Nothing. Mercy, grace abounding,
beloved. Oh my, it's absolutely wonderful. And the scripture says that man
in his natural state, we've read this many times, is dead in trespasses
and sins, Ephesians 2. And apart from being given spiritual
life, the natural man will perish. in their sins. And this has been
true from the earliest days of man. It's demonstrated in Adam's
disobedience in the midst of paradise in which he was placed.
And we looked at this morning the fact that man is totally
in spiritual darkness, but he loves to have it that way. Natural
man loves to have it that way. But the believer, we fight and
battle sin. We didn't before, but we sure
do now. John chapter 3, this is confirmed,
it says, and this is condemnation, that light has come into the
world, that being Christ, and man loved darkness rather than
light. And we who are saved, we who
are born again should say, I know that because that was me before
the Lord saved me. We don't look condemning at people
because we were in that state, beloved. We were in that state. We loved darkness rather than
light before the Lord saved us. I know I did. I know I did. And then it says, it says, and
men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were
evil. And isn't it true that God reveals to us our sinfulness? That's what He reveals to us,
doesn't it? He reveals that to us. And then it says, for everyone
that doeth evil, hateth the light. Neither cometh to the light,
lest his deeds should be reproved. But the believer comes, just
like that publican, saying, Oh God, be merciful to me, the sinner. We acknowledge our sinfulness.
We acknowledge, like Brother Matt brought out this morning,
we acknowledge our condemnation before God when the Lord saves
us, when we're born again in the Holy Spirit of God. But the
natural man doesn't do that. Doesn't do that. Turn, if you would, to Romans
chapter one. Now the natural man, in his natural state, is
very oftentimes religious. This world is full of religious
people. Full of religious people. Whether it be a so-called Christian
religion or whether it be some other religion. The world is
very, very religious. Very, very religious. And some even profess to believe
in a higher power. But look what Paul writes of
them here in Romans chapter 1, verses 21 and 23. Because that when they knew God,
they glorified him not as God. Neither were thankful but became
vain in their imaginations and their foolish hearts was darkened.
Look at this, professing themselves to be wise, they became fools. Now think of that when someone
says, well, I'm a good person. I don't deserve to go to hell. They don't know, they don't know
their state before God. And it says, and changed the
glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like through
cryptomance and the birds and four-footed beasts and creepy
things. They started making all these idols. You know what? They haven't stopped.
There is a so-called Christian church that makes statues and
people bow to them all the time. It's the same idolatry as what's
spoken of right there, beloved. It's the same idolatry. It hasn't
changed. There's nothing new under the sun. Praise God, he
saved me out of that. There's nothing new under the
sun. Nothing. Absolutely nothing. And so the
natural man loves his own ways. Lost people delight in their
own philosophies and theories. Oh, they'll tell you what they
think. Yet they do not know God. But
they cook up a God in their imagination. They cook up a God in their imagination,
but that God is nothing but a figment of their imagination. It's not
the God of the Bible. It's not the God of the Bible.
They say, well, God, he's just a God of love. Yeah, God is a
God of love, absolutely, he is. There's no denying that. But
they magnify that one attribute at the expense of his justice,
at the expense of his holiness. You gotta look at God in the
whole thing. He's a holy God. He's a righteous
God. He's a God of love. He's a God
who has a strict justice and a strict law that must be upheld. Oh, He's absolutely holy. And
everything in Him, all His attributes, are all affected by His holiness,
beloved. All of them. Oh my. But they cook up a God who He
won't send good people to hell. Not knowing that the Bible says
there's none good. No, not one. Not one. That all men are guilty before
God. And that it's only, oh beloved, it's only by God's mercy and
it's only by God's grace that we are saved. That we are saved. That we are washed in the precious
blood of Christ. We are so undeserving. Oh, and
yet we receive mercy, mercy, mercy, mercy. And all men are
born, and all men and women are born into this state without
exception, dead in trespasses and sins. There's no exception. There's no exception. And they
will continue in that state, unless the privilege of hearing
and seeing the Lord Jesus Christ and his utter glory and dominion
is given unto them. Unless they're given eyes to
see and ears to hear, God must reveal Christ to us. He must. He must. And he does to his people,
praise God. He does. The Lord hardens the hearts of
man in darkness and he hides the truth and the glory of his
son's absolute reign from all but that remnant which he's chosen. and those who are the recipients
of his mercy and grace. And we know that's a number that
no man can number. Let's look again at verses 25
to 27 in chapter one there of Colossians. And we know this
to be true, that God hides the truth of the glory of his son's
absolute reign from all but a remnant, because look at what, from all
but his chosen, because look at what it says in Colossians
1, verses 25 to 27. And this doesn't make us proud,
beloved. It puts us in the dust, to think that I'm part of the
number who knows him. Oh my, where have I made a minister
according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for
you to fulfill the word of God, even their mystery, which hath
been hid from ages and from generations, but is now made manifest to his
saints, to whom God would make known. Notice that? God makes
it known. God makes Christ known to his
people. The scriptures plainly declare
it right there. To whom God would make known what is the riches
of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is
what? Christ in you, the hope of glory. See, the Old Testament
saints, they look to Christ, just like we look to Christ.
They look forward to Christ. We look back to the cross. We
see what our Savior, but we're all looking, beloved. We've all
been granted the same faith to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.
We all have the same reward. Who's our reward? Christ. Christ
is our reward. Christ is our reward, beloved.
Oh my, it's not this competition to, I won't even get into that. Christ is our reward, beloved.
Christ is our reward. Always remember that. Always
remember that. He told Abraham, I'm your exceeding
reward. Oh my, wonderful. Absolutely
wonderful. Wonderful. Turn, if you would,
to Matthew chapter 11, and we'll read in verses 25 to 30 where
we'll see our Savior, our Redeemer, the Lord Jesus Christ, must be
revealed again to God's people. And the reason I'm bringing this
forth is because in Christ is hidden all the treasures of wisdom
and knowledge, and that's only revealed to God's people, beloved.
It's only revealed to God's people. We saw there in Colossians this
mystery of the Gospels being hid from ages and generations,
but now is made manifest. manifest to God's people, to
God's people. Look at this in Matthew chapter
11, we'll read verses 25 to 30, and we'll see our Savior, our
Redeemer, the Lord Jesus Christ again must be revealed to his
people. And this is why our Lord said, you must be born again.
And we will see here that our Lord rejoiced in this precious
truth which he proclaimed. At that time, Jesus answered
and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because
Thou hast hid these things from the wise and the prudent, and
has revealed them unto babes. Now remember, there was a time
when he said, the whole have no need of a physician, but only
the sick. Only the sick. Well, this is similar here. He
says that he's hidden these things from the wise and the prudent,
and has revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father, for it's so
For it seemed good in thy sight, all things are delivered unto
me of my father, and no man knoweth the son but the father, neither
knoweth any man the father save the son. And he to whomsoever,
look at this, and he to whomsoever the son will reveal him. Oh, there it is again. There
it is again. And then he says this marvelous
statement. Oh, look at this. Come unto me, all ye that labor
and are heavy laden. That's the cry of the gospel
preacher. Come unto Christ. Come unto Christ. Come on. Come on to me, all ye that labor
and are heavily. Are you are you heavy laden by
sin? Are you are you heavy laden by by trying to work your way
to heaven? Because it's just. You're never
you're never make it the glory if you're trying to work your
way there. Come on to me, all you that labor and are heavily
in what? I'll give you rest. I'll give you rest. I'll give
you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn
of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest
unto your souls. Do not God's people find eternal
rest for our souls in Christ? These words are wonderful. These
words are absolutely wonderful. They're spoken by our Redeemer,
our Savior, God incarnate in the flesh. For my yoke is easy. Because He did all the work.
Because He did all the work. All we do is look to Him by faith.
He says, for my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. You see,
when you're weighed down in religion, when you're weighed down by things
that you have to do, I remember talking to Norm, we were talking
about when we were in Landmarkism, and how we go to church on Sunday, By Sunday afternoon, oh, you
just, well, I'm such a failure. I'm such a, right? You just feel
tore down and not even built up at all. You're just tore down.
You go back for Sunday night. Oh, man. You're thinking, I'm
going to do better. I'm going to do better. And by
Monday, you're just, I'm such a failure. The Lord's burden is light. The yoke is light because He
did it all. He did it all. Salvation is complete
in Christ. Absolutely complete. And all
we do is look to Him by faith. We look to Him by faith. And
we live a life looking to Christ, don't we? We live a life. Sure, we're going to fall and
fail because we're sinners. But He picks us back up, doesn't
He? He does constantly. Constantly. We desire to live a holy life.
We desire to please our Savior, don't we? We do. We do. And His burden, or His yoke is
easy, and His burden is light. Look to Christ and live. And if you look, if God gives
you eyes to look, you're never going to stop looking. You're
never going to stop looking. And then one day, we'll be looking. Face to face. For eternity. For eternity. For eternity. My! My! So think of the absolute
folly it is for men and women to think that they can somehow
establish a righteousness that God will accept by their own
works. or do something that will make them acceptable before God.
When the believer is only accepted, is only justified because of
what Christ did alone. We're accepted in the Beloved.
And as I mentioned this morning, we're clothed in this perfect
spotless righteousness, justified by Christ in Him alone. So we
see the folly in man trying to make themselves acceptable in
the sight of God by some practice that they do, whether it be religious
or not. There's absolute folly in it.
Because God will accept no one outside of Christ. Outside of
Christ. And think upon this, that as
long as a sinner thinks that they have the ability to know
Christ, or to come to Christ in their own power, or by an
act of their supposed free will, they demonstrate that they are
still in darkness. That they're still in darkness.
They know not God, and they cannot see the glory which is hidden
in Christ Jesus our Lord. Even though they may mouth His
name, or say unto Him, Lord, Lord, Yet they do not know Him. Yet they do not know Him. Now
think upon how the glory of Christ and who He has hid from those
around Him when He was upon this earth. He openly taught among
the people, didn't He? He openly taught among men and
women while He was on this earth. He performed many miracles. Many
miracles. He went around doing good. He
healed the sick. He gave sight to the blind. The
lame walked. He even raised the dead, beloved.
And yet there were some who saw all these things, and yet Christ
was hid from them. Christ was hid from them. He
did not reveal himself to them. And no man or woman can know
him. unless he reveals himself. And what has he done for his
people? He's opened their eyes to know his true identity. To
know that he is God incarnated in the flesh. And this is why,
beloved, the Lord Jesus Christ told Peter after his confession,
Peter confessed who the Lord was. And he confessed his lordship,
and you know what our Lord said to him? Blessed art thou, Simon
Barjona, for flesh and blood have not revealed this to you. Not revealed it unto thee, but
my Father which is in heaven. If you know Christ, if you're
looking to him by faith, blessed art thou, for flesh and blood
haven't revealed this to you. God has. God's revealed Christ
to you. And Christ is God, in whom are
hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Now we again live
in a world filled with religion, and yet we know there's nothing
new under the sun. There are many who call themselves
Christians, just as there are many who were Jews, but they
were not the true Israel of God. Many claim to have the truth
because they say they can trace a lineage all the way back to
the apostles. But you know they're relying
on that for their salvation. They see salvation in the church
rather than Christ, who is the way, the truth, and the life.
There are many who bow down to idols even today. Even today
there's people who bow down to idols. But the idol that is most bowed
down to today, and just as it was in times of old, is self.
Self. And all these hiding places are
self-refuges. Self-refuges. False refuge. And they're gonna prove out to
be that in the end. They're gonna prove out to be
that in the end when these folks who are trusting in those things
face God. They're gonna prove out to be false refuges. Nothing but a refuge of lies
for those who are trusting in them. And when I say self, people
are trusting in their own work. So they're trusting that even
if they're not religious, well, I'm a good person. No, you're
not. No, you're not. You're none good. No, not one.
No. God said it in the scriptures. And he's declared it. There's
none good. There's none righteous. And there's
none that seek it after God. That's a hopeless state. That's
a hopeless state. Praise God for the Lord Jesus
Christ. Praise God for salvation in and
through Christ and Christ alone. Now there's a lot of people who
claim to believe the Bible and yet they have no real knowledge
of it, of what it says. They know nothing of the righteousness
of Christ. I was talking to a dear sister this morning about how
how the righteousness of Christ is not even talked in most religious
circles. They don't even talk about it.
And I was reading an article by a preacher and he said, he
said he believed that those who say, Lord, Lord, have we not
done all these things? Well, we know they don't have
a wedding garment on, do they? But you know what they're, you
know why they say, Lord, Lord, have we not done, notice, have
we not done all these things in your name? Have we not done
this and that, right? And he says, I never knew you. See,
their robe of righteousness is their own works. is their own
works. But the believers are clothed
in the wedding garment. We're clothed in the wedding garment.
The righteousness of Christ. That's why the bride in Song
of Solomon is absolutely enamored with Christ. Because we know
that everything we have, all our salvation, comes from Him.
Comes from Him. And so she's just enamored with
Him. Oh my, we're not looking at what we've done, we look at
what he's done. And we keep looking, beloved, we just keep looking
to Christ. We just keep looking to him. And we have revealed to us who
God really is, who Christ is, God incarnated in the flesh.
But the people who claim to believe the Bible and have no real knowledge
of it, they're like the Sadducees, which are spoken of in Matthew
22, verse 29, Jesus saith unto them, ye do err not knowing the
Scriptures, nor the power of God. He's talking to them about
resurrection, of course, but same with people today. And I
don't look down on them, to be honest with you, because I came
out of all that stuff. I know where they're at. It's
a guy I talk to across the road. Try to go over on my day off
and just talk to some of the guys over there. There's a guy
I talk to. He reminds me exactly how I was when I was in religion.
Pointing fingers at everybody, saying how wrong they are, saying,
oh, how can they be a Christian and do that? Oh, my goodness.
That was me. I get a picture of who I was
every week. But I love the guy. And I'm praying
for him. I hope the Lord saves him. I
really do. And I just keep presenting Christ to him when I get the
opportunity. Just keep bringing up Christ. He's done it all.
He's done it all. And nothing we have to do. We
just look to Him by faith. That's all we can pronounce,
isn't it? We can just pronounce that Christ
has done it all. He's done it all. My. Turn if you would to John 5.39.
Look at this. These are the words we need to
proclaim to those who are in religious bondage, to those who
are trusting in themselves. Look what our Lord said about
the scriptures here in John 5.39, look at this. The words of the master, he said,
search the scriptures. Now we know there that there's
no New Testament. He's talking about the Old Testament.
And so if anyone ever tells you Christ is in the Old Testament,
take him right here. This is the master's words, beloved.
Search the scriptures. That's the Old Testament. That's
the Old Testament. Search the scriptures. For in
them you think you have eternal life. And they are they which
testify of me. See, eternal life is only in
Christ. Only in Christ and Christ alone. Nowhere else in the scriptures
testify of our Savior. They testify of Christ. And so
are these not the words which we should be speaking to those
today who are just like the Sadducees? This is what we should point
our mind to the scriptures. Look to Christ. Look to Christ
alone. Let's go back to our text in
Colossians chapter 2. We're to tell them of the one
who is God's hiding place, and that is God himself, the Lord
Jesus Christ incarnate in the flesh. Colossians chapter 2, we'll read verses 1 to 3. Again,
for I would that ye know what great conflict I have for you
and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen
my face in the flesh, that their hearts might be comforted. And
we know that the exhortation to the preacher from our God
is, comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith. So Paul's desire
here is that the saints would be comforted. What? Being knit
together in love. And that knit together in love
again is only in Christ. And unto all the riches of the
full assurance of understanding. Oh that we would gain a full
assurance of the understanding of the salvation that we have
in Christ. And we're ever learning, aren't we? We're learning. Brother
Roy and I read a devotion today, and this was absolutely marvelous.
The guy who did the devotion was saying that as we go through
trials and tribulations, It keeps us just looking to Christ. It
keeps us constantly, it strips us of self, beloved, and it keeps
us looking right to Christ. Right to Christ. And that's why
we continuously are going through trials and tribulations in this
life, beloved. Oh my. That your hearts might
be comforted being knit together in love and unto all riches of
the full assurance of understanding to the acknowledgement of the
mystery of God, which was spoken of earlier we know in chapter
one. and of the Father and of Christ, in whom are hid all the
treasures of wisdom and knowledge." Now we see here proclaimed by
Paul, we know by inspiration of the Holy Spirit of God, that
in Christ are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. All
the treasures. So think upon this, beloved God.
Let it sink deep into your souls. The fact that all the treasures
of God are hidden in Christ. Hidden in Christ. Don't let this
become commonplace. This is marvelous. This is incredible. Remember the woman at the well?
Remember the woman at the well who thought that the religion
of her fathers was sufficient? Think upon the truth of how all
the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are found in Christ when our
Lord replied back to her and said, but the hour cometh and
now is when the true worshipers, that being God's elect, shall
worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father
seeketh such to worship him. In Christ are hid all the treasures
of wisdom and knowledge. All of them. All of them. Think of how all the traditions
of men in religion, all the practices to make a man supposedly holy.
Think of how they're but done. How they're but done in comparison
to the revelation of the person of the Lord Jesus Christ as the
true God. And as the glorious Redeemer
of His people. He's a glorious Redeemer, beloved.
He's wonderful Redeemer. He's incredible. And the believer
says, I know this because He's revealed Himself to me. And I
speak what I know. I speak what I know. Oh, what
a Savior, what a Savior in Christ. And don't forget here this wonderful
verse and the fact of what's being proclaimed that all the
treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Christ, hidden
in Christ. Don't forget that Paul was talking
about the mystery which is being concealed. You've got to remember
the context, the mystery that's being concealed, that's been
hidden from ages and generations, revealed to a few, but hidden
from ages and generations. The mystery of the gospel, which
contains in Christ all the rich minds and all the hidden treasures
of divine truth. They're all in him. They're all
in Him. It's called the treasure because
of the richness of who it is hidden in. Who it's hidden in. The gospel
of God's free grace speaks of the unsearchable riches of Christ. Speaks of the unsearchable riches
of Christ. And that the believer has this.
speaks of He who is the treasure of all wisdom and knowledge.
They're all hidden in Him. And notice, the treasures of
wisdom and knowledge are said to be hidden in Him. Hidden in Him. He's being compared
to a hidden treasure. And this treasure cannot be found
Unless it's revealed to you. Unless it's revealed to you.
Now we know, there's shows on TV, men search for treasures
all the time, don't they? They are, they spend a lifetime
doing it. Hours, days, weeks, months, looking,
just looking for a little treasure. And think upon we who proclaim
that the Scriptures speak of Christ and salvation is only
in Him. And what our Lord told the Jews, search the Scriptures. See, men search for treasure,
but they won't search the Scriptures. Search the Scriptures, for in
them you think you have eternal life. And they are they which
testify of me, our Lord said. In Him. are hid all the treasures
of wisdom and knowledge. They're all hidden in Christ.
They're all hidden in Him. Jesus, under His well-known character
of wisdom, is represented as not waiting to be sought for,
but Himself coming to His people. Turn, if you would, to Proverbs,
chapter 8. Coming to His people who, in our natural state, were
dead in trespasses and sins. And God the Spirit reveals to
us our need for Christ. And Christ is hidden from the
wise and the prudent, we know scriptures declare that. That
is, those who see themselves as the wise in their own eyes,
and the prudent in their own conceit. But Christ is revealed
to babes. Christ is revealed to babes.
We saw that when we looked at that in Matthew 11.25. Now turn to Proverbs chapter
8, where we read of wisdom. and knowing that this is Christ,
wisdom is Christ, crying aloud and calling upon his people to
come and find a fullness of wisdom and knowledge in him. Proverbs,
we'll read first of all, we'll read verses 1 to 11. Doth not wisdom cry and understanding
put forth her voice? She standeth in the top of high
places by the way in the places of the past. She crieth at the
gates. at the entry of the city, at
the coming in of the doors. Unto you, O men, I call, and
my voice is to the sons of men." And when the gospel is preached,
it's preached and proclaimed to all men. God makes it effectual,
but there's the general call that goes out. General call,
repent, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord said, come unto
me. The general call, the general call. Unto you, O man, I call, and
my voice is to the sons of men. O ye simple, understand wisdom,
and ye fools, be of an understanding heart. Hear, for I will speak
of excellent things, and the opening of my lips shall be right
things. From my mouth shall speak truth,
and wickedness is an abomination to my lips. The Lord is the way,
the truth, and the life. He is truth incarnate, beloved. All the words of my mouth are
in righteousness, and there is nothing forward or perverse in
them. They are all plain to him that understandeth. To those he reveals himself to,
his words are plain, aren't they? And right to them that find knowledge,
oh, to those he reveals himself to, oh, his words are right to
them that fall in knowledge. Receive my instruction and not
silver and knowledge, rather than choice gold, for wisdom
is better than rubies. and all the things that may be
desired are not to be compared to it. Now let's look at verses
14 to 21. Counsel is in mine and sound
wisdom. I am understanding, I have strength. By me kings reign,
and princes decree justice. Who raises up leaders in this
world? The Lord Jesus Christ. By me princes rule, nobles, and
even all the judges of the earth. Look at this, look at this statement,
beloved. I love them that love me. We could sit right there. We
could just sit there. What an incredible statement. And we know that he loves us. We love him because he first
loved us. We know that. How long has he loved us? From
eternity. From eternity, oh my. I love
them that love me. And those that seek me early
shall find me. Riches and honor are with me, yea, durable riches.
They won't, moth and rust cannot corrupt them. They're durable
riches, they're everlasting riches. And righteousness, the righteousness
that is the righteousness of God is given to God's people. My fruit is better than gold,
yea, than fine gold, and my revenue than choice silver. I lead in
the way of righteousness in the midst of the path of judgment.
Now remember our text, right? In Christ is hidden all the wisdom,
all the treasure of wisdom and knowledge. Look what it says
here. That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance
and I will fill their treasures. I will fill their treasures.
Oh my beloved. Again, our text says in whom
are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. What a
treasure we have in Christ. What a treasure we have in Christ,
beloved. Marvel in this truth that we
looked at there. I love them that love me. Now in our natural state, we
don't love them. Oh, but when we're born again by the Holy
Spirit of God, we love them. We love our Savior, don't we?
We love him. We love him like no other. He
says that I love them that love me my what a statement. What
a statement He causes us to love then he
causes us to love and then look at look at the Verse 21 that
I may cause those that love me to inherit substance, and I will
fill their treasure salvations of the Lord It's all his doing
it's all of his doing and So here we see before us that Christ
is indeed the treasure of His people. He's precious to His people.
And what are some of the treasures we have? Redemption, righteousness
of Christ, full pardon for all our sins, the law satisfied in
our place, the justice of God appeased, eternal life. A salvation that we can't mess
up. That's incredible. That's absolutely incredible.
Because it's in Christ. It's absolutely wonderful. So Christ is the treasure of
his people. He's precious to his people. To you which believe
on him. He's a precious ointment poured
forth, isn't he? And we saw that in our study
in Song of Solomon. That's like a precious ointment
being broken open. And the fragrance of it filling the air. He's like
that to us, beloved. He's like that to us. Christ is to his people that
sweet balm of Gilead. It soothes the heart of the sin-sick
soul who has fled to him for refuge. He's the balm of Gilead
to me. Is it so for you? He's the crown of glory and the
diadem of beauty unto the residue of his people. And to his blood-bought,
born-again people, he's more precious than the gold of Ophir.
And his price is above rubies. He's the cheapest among 10,000
to us. And we know, we've been taught,
that there's no end to his perfections. He's absolutely perfect. He's
the perfect Savior, the perfect Redeemer. He's God incarnate
in the flesh. The believer can say, God has
redeemed my soul. God Himself has done this. The
one in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. It leaves you speechless. So we've seen tonight the truth
that if any man or woman would behold the treasures of wisdom
and knowledge which God has hidden in Christ, he must be given,
he or she must be given eyes to see the other glory and dominion
of Christ and who he is. He's the source and the fountain
of all my wisdom and knowledge. We can't boast in anything, beloved.
We who believe. We can't boast in it. We can't
boast in what we know, because it all comes from Christ. We
can't boast in what we have, because it all comes from Christ.
It's amazing. It's amazing. You know how He's
blessed His people in Christ even more. I'm just mentioning
a few things that we have materialistically there, but think of what we have
in Christ. A full pardon of all our sins.
Justified before God. A right standing before God.
hold in that perfect spotless righteousness, which He has put
upon us, in Him, in Christ, are hid all
the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. To God be the glory.